Yogyakarta declares emergency alert status

The Yogyakarta Special Autonomous Provincial Administration has declared an emergency alert status following natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, and whirlwinds, that hit the region.

The National Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency had reported that extreme weather will continue for three days, but Yogyakarta has declared an emergency status for a week, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the governor of Yogyakarta, stated here, Wednesday.

The decision to declare the emergency status was taken during a coordination meeting on disaster mitigation attended by officials of the Yogyakarta disaster mitigation office.

By declaring the emergency status, district and provincial authorities could use the reserve funds for disaster mitigation efforts.

Krido Suprayitno, head of the Yogyakarta disaster mitigation office, noted that the extreme weather was triggered by the Cempaka tropical cyclone.

The Yogyakarta finance office has allocated Rp14 billion for disaster mitigation efforts.

According to data from Yogyakarta city`s disaster mitigation office, landslides hit nine locations and whirlwinds also affected nine locations, claiming the lives of three residents.

In Bantul District, whirlwinds struck 67 locations, landslides occurred in 45 sites, and floods ravaged 31 locations, affecting 4,756 people and claiming one life.

In Kulon Progo, 20 locations were hit by whirlwinds, 27 by landslides, and six by floods, affecting 58 people, injuring three, and leading to two others going missing.

In Gunung Kidul District, one person died, two were injured, and 3,276 others affected by whirlwinds, landslides, and floods.

In Sleman District, 214 people were affected by hydrological disasters that frequently occurred during the rainy season

Source: ANTARA